We ran our first SP2 game today. As GM I made a few mistakes on officer casualties and unit fire control but on the whole it was a good learning experience. It really helped make me more familiar with the rules and on the whole (even with our slightly modified rules) played real well. The other players (4 total) were totally new to SP. The game started a little slow but once we made contact it was quite fun with a few twists. We also used unpainted (to be in the future) figures.
The scenario was a rescue mission
British force led by Colonel Pippin have rounded up male
civilians suspected of aiding the rebel cause in the neighborhood. Among the detained is the Rev. John the
Priest. All prisoners are to be held
until transported back to Charleston for interrogation.
Although unassuming, the Rev. John the Priest is a staunch
colonial patriot who runs the southern spy network for the patriot cause. His capture and eventual “interrogation” will
be a terrible loss to the patriot cause.
His identity is not known to the British so his rescue is of vital
importance. To effect this rescue, Major
Christopher Pollardston of the South Carolina Line has been dispatched to
accomplish this mission.
Americans primary DP was located at the end of the road pictured below. Their secondary DP was 24 inches from the town. The British primary DP was located way to far away from where the action took place and this was my fault (big table). Their secondary DP was located further up the road (this side) in the first picture but couldn't be activated until the Americans entered the town.
American OOB
Status III leader: Major Christopher Pollardston (Chip 1)
Two groups of 8 State Line Troops
(includes Sergeant O’Brien - Chip 4)
Status II leader: Captain Peter O’tool (Chip 2)
Two groups of 8 State Line Troops
(includes Sergeant Davis - Chip 5)
Status II leader: Arthur Francis (Chip 3)
Two groups of 6 Frontiersmen Skirmishers
(including Sergeant Lyon - Chip 6)
British OOB
Status III leader: Colonel Augustus Pippin (Chip 1)
Two groups of 8 Regulars (includes
Sergeant Masterson - Chip 4)
Status II leader: Captain Bartholomew Cornwell (Chip 2)
Two groups of 8 light infantry
(includes Sergeant Williams - Chip 5)
Status II leader: Lieutenant Terrance Bridgewater (Chip 3)
One group 6 Loyalist Ranger Skirmishers
The game begins with Capt O'tool deploying his whole force in line (picture above) with A. Francis's frontier skirmishers deploying at the primary DP.
Colonel Pippin has two companies. One guarding the prisoner who will remain in the village undetected until the Americans penetrate it. Picture above, Colonel Pippin arrives at the primary DP and begins a very slow march (even with 2 D6) towards the town. Just a merry stroll in the country side, winning the hearts and minds of the colonists.
Picture above: By turn 4 (just movement in 2-3) Capt O'tool decides to split his command sending Srg Davis into the town (but not by the road) and puts his other company along the stone wall. Note** the Americans must find the location of the good Rev Priest, rescue him and retire to their primary DP. The American commander also activates Major Pollerston's entire command and places them in column in the road. At this point the British prisoner guard led by Srg. Masterson, feeling a little isolated but sensing weakness in the Americans, emerge and fire a crushing volley into the American troops led by Cpt O'tool. 3 dead, no shock. We now know the location of the good Rev Priest.
Picture Above: Things heated up quickly and I forgot to take pictures of the few turns in between. In the interval Capt O'tool's troops fired into the British causing mostly shock but killing 2. Srg Masterson's company kill another 2 of Capt. O'tool's command and O'tool takes enough wounds to be reduced to status zero. In the mean time, the British led by
Captain Bartholomew Cornwell deploy from the secondary DP and engage the Americans. Sergeant Williams of Cornwell's command leads one group/company which fire to such a great effect that it kills two of Srg. Davis's command (O'tool's srg) and puts on enough shock to require an involuntary withdrawal back through the alley. Meanwhile, Major Pollardston sends his Srg O’Brien with one company while he keeps the other company and tries to provide both support and link up with O'tools Srg Davis outside the town. The American skirmishers slowly advance down the road to the intersection. Colonel Pippin, his command and the Loyalist rangers also advance slowly down the road from the primary DP.
Picture above: (again missed a turn or two via pics). American Srg
O’Brien (in road) manages to take on British regulars to his front causing them mostly shock. To enter the building and release the good Rev. Priest they needed to kick in the door requiring a roll of 18 on 2 D6. It took three turns. By turn 3 they broke the door down but were in a position to be surrounded. The American commander decided to take Srg. O'Brien's command inside the house holding the good Rev. Priest and let Major Pollardston come save him. To get in the building they needed to roll anything but a 1 on a D6. The Americans rolled a 1.
In the mean time, Pollardston linked what remained of O'tool's command with his own company and shifted them to a hill and a clear field of fire outside the town.
British Capt. Cornwell advances to meet them and concentrates his fire on Srg Davis's part of the line. Srg O'Brien's men take heavy fire from Srg. Williams and Srg Masterson's command who moves in behind their stalled position. Having "rescued" the good Rev Priest and having over 12 in shock Srg O'Brien's troops rout. We required the good Rev. Priest to roll to see how far he could go. Unfortunately for him he was wounded and this began a hilarious series of events. Colonel Pippin also decides that he must rush quickly to the aid of his men and not down the road guarded by American riflemen and after a turn demolishing the fence begins his cross country jog to Srg. Masterson.
Above Picture (again, missed a few turns). Capt Cornwell decides discretion is the best part of valor and withdraws from fighting Pollardston's American line and attempts to cut between the village to help capture the good Rev. Priest. He almost gets his men to cover as Pollarston's command comes off the hill in line, but in pursuit. Cornwell is a bounder and thus finds some attractive women and he begins to flirt with those ladies causing his command to be slaughtered behind him and thus rout. Meanwhile the Srg. Masterson has recaptured the good Rev Priest and Major Pollarston has put his men in column to being what they hope will be a quick pursuit.
Above Picture: The American riflemen are caught in line across the fence line as their opponents move quickly away. The Loyalist, top right of the image, were useless in this fight as they never once engaged the enemy (but they were led by a thoroughly detestable individual anyway). Long range rifle fire will add shock to Colonel Pippin's company and slow him down a tad.
Above Picture: Missed a few turns. The American rifle men pepper Srg Masterson who has the Rev. Priest causing another wound and adding shock. The British strategy at this point was to withdraw fast to a new position and hope to inflict some damage on the Americans but give them time with do a fighting withdraw. Capt Cornwell was able to activate and leave his shattered company and try to get to his operational company (green) but was wounded and couldn't run. He was almost captured but go within the prescribed distance to attach his men to his command. Srg. Masterson in his haste out paced the poor Rev. Priest who was left behind much to the American's delight. Fortunately, Colonel Pippin was there to recapture the good Rev. Priest. American rifle fire continued to hammer Pippin's command. Major Pollardston tries to run his command towards the fleeing British.
Above picture: American riflemen barely moved more than 2 inches the last three turns, but their rifles plagued Colonel Pippin to the point that he lost Srg. Masterson (dead) and the total shock required an immediate withdraw. This once again left the poor Rev. Priest, wounded and unable to run, "free". Capt. Cornwell had enough time to reform his men and using all of the command cards fire a controlled volley into American pursuit by Maj. Pollardston.
At this point we ran out of time to continue the game. I certainly did not expect it to go this way and figured the fight would be around the river. The Americans moved very slowly into the village and then didn't push hard to get the prisoner until the British reinforcements arrived. Then it became funny to watch. The British mistake was to keep dividing their forces which really hurt them regarding shock.
We had to decided at the end what happened to the good Rev. Priest. I named him for my friend John M. Priest who was playing the American riflemen. At one point the British commander in charge of Srg. Masterson just wanted to shoot the Rev. Priest because "obviously he is important to the Americans". As GM I had to interject that the British just see it as an "American attack", but that they since the good Rev. tried to flee with the armed American troops that is certainly suspicious. We put it down to a D6 roll. 1-3 (don't shoot him); 4-6 (shoot him). The Rev. stayed alive. If the British could have made it to a tree in the center of the table I believe they planned to try again and hang the poor Rev. Priest but they never got that far.
I believe the players realized as we went on that they could improvise ideas and this helped add to the game play which was something I was hoping for. There was talk of taking the wagons and using them to get the stalled companies (Srg Masterson lost his command initiatives with his reduction of status via wounds) but that required the Loyalist to activate and move which every roll was a limited one. We just figured the guy was shirking the fight.
The game ended with British force morale down to 5 from 10 with the Americans down to 6 from 10. With the British below 6 in morale and the Americans having "rescued" the Rev. Priest (who lay bleeding from several wounds and unable to move) we had to credit the Americans with a Major Victory but after rolling to see if the Rev. Priest would survive his wounds: 1-3 die, 4-6 live (I let John roll) and he did not with a roll of a 3, we downgraded the victory to a minor victory because a dead "rescued guy" isn't really great. However, the British forces were smacked around a bit.
Casualty list:
American:
Status III leader: Major Christopher Pollardston: Wounded twice.
14/17 State Line Troops survived (includes Sergeant O’Brien who fled in disgrace)
Status II leader: Captain Peter O’tool: Wounded once and who smelled terrible from stepping in crap
9/17 State Line Troops survive (includes Sergeant Davis)
Status II leader: Arthur Francis
13/13 Frontiersmen Skirmishers survive (including Sergeant Lyon)
British:
Status III leader: Colonel Augustus Pippin: Wounded twice.
8/17 Regulars survived (KIA: Sergeant Masterson final turn of the skirmish)
Status II leader: Captain Bartholomew Cornwell: Wounded twice
10/17 light infantry survived (2 fled off table) (includes Sergeant Williams)
Status II leader: Lieutenant Terrance Bridgewater
6/6 Loyalist Ranger Skirmishers (shirked the whole skirmish)
Honors:
American: Arthur Francis of the Frontier Skirmishers
British: Srg Williams of the Light Infantry
